• Home
  • About
  • Articles
  • Interviews
  • Models
  • Slides
  • Blog
Unconventional Wisdom
  • Home
  • About
  • Articles
  • Interviews
  • Models
  • Slides
  • Blog

How do Sports Shape Our Business Ethics and Behaviors?

3/15/2013

2 Comments

 
Having worked in the financial services industry since 1984, I have seen my fair share of unethical behavior. For most of this time, I have always believed that the over-developed need (desire) to achieve financial success and power were mostly to blame for this unsavory behavior.

I still believe that but, after watching the presentation below and doing some additional reading on the subject, I now believe that sports may play an important role in shaping our business ethics and resulting behavior.
Picture
I'm here on a mission of mercy...
In his epic book, the 7 Habit of Highly Effective People, the late Stephen Covey said that we live in a WIN-LOSE society. Many children are raised to think that winning is everything. They also grow up idolizing sports figures as if they were mythical Gods. We won't solve the problem anytime soon but maybe some additional awareness will increase our sensitivity to the issue. I would be very interested to hear your thoughts on the subject.

Where do we draw the line?

Competition: what's fair today? Where we draw that line in sports, and in the general culture, shapes the games we play and the society in which we live. Our panel explores the murky ethical terrain of extreme competition as reflected in sports. Featuring Craig Robinson, Jeremy Schaap, Jim Brown and William E. Mayer.

Source: FORA.tv
Aspen Ideas Festival 2012
Aspen Institute, 26June2012


Are we taking college sports too seriously?

Last month, Ohio State hired Urban Meyer to coach football for $4 million a year plus bonuses (playing in the B.C.S. National Championship game nets him an extra $250,000; a graduation rate over 80 percent would be worth $150,000). He has personal use of a private jet.

Dr. Aubrecht, a physics professor at Ohio State, says he doesn't have enough money in his own budget to cover attendance at conferences. “From a business perspective,” he can see why Coach Meyer was hired, but he calls the package just more evidence that the “tail is wagging the dog.”

~ Excerpt from How Big-Time Sports Ate College Life by Laura Pappano -- New York Times, 01.20.2012

Picture
Click on image to access the 3A website

Do we live in a "win-lose" society?

Most of us learn to base our self-worth on comparisons and competition. We think about succeeding in terms of someone else failing--that is, if I win, you lose; or if you win, I lose. Life becomes a zero-sum game. There is only so much pie to go around, and if you get a big piece, there is less for me; it's not fair, and I'm going to make sure you don't get anymore. We all play the game, but how much fun is it really? 

Win-win sees life as a cooperative arena, not a competitive one. Win-win is a frame of mind and heart that constantly seeks mutual benefit in all human interactions. Win-win means agreements or solutions are mutually beneficial and satisfying. We both get to eat the pie, and it tastes pretty darn good! 

~ Stephen R. Covey, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Picture
Click in image to access 3rd Alternative website

On a related note...

Articles & Resources
  • How Big-Time Sports Ate College Life, NY Times
  • Does an 'A' in Ethics Have Any Value? WSJ
  • J.P. Morgan: It's Time for Some Real Change, Forbes
  • Don't Let Your Investor Experience Become a Horror Show
  • FINRA Fines Merrill Lynch $2.8 Million for Overcharging Customers; $32 Million in Remediation Paid to Affected Customers, FINRA
  • Arthur Andersen's Fall From Grace Is a Sad Tale of Greed and Miscues, WSJ
  • Morgan Stanley Code of Ethics and Business Conduct
  • Conversations That Build a Bridge of Trust, Value Alliance
  • Fair Play: The Winning Way, UNESCO

Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University
  • Sports Ethics: Mapping the Issues
  • What Role Does Ethics Play in Sports?
  • Ethics in Professional Sports
  • Ethics in College Sports
  • Ethics in Youth Sports
"We all have the capacity to be quite bad under the right circumstances." ~ Dan Ariely
Picture
Click in image to watch related video
2 Comments

Governance Gone Wrong, Very Very Wrong...

7/14/2012

0 Comments

 

Wall Street executives say "wrongdoing is necessary" 

At this stage of the game, the headline above should hardly surprise anyone. The first thing that comes to mind is that if 25% of Wall Street executives admit to knowing about or witnessing unethical behavior in their companies first-hand, imagine how prevalent it really is. The second is that cheating is not limited to Wall Street!

My personal opinion, which is simply based on direct and repeated observations, is that cheating, in its many forms, exists in all industries and walks of life. It is all around us.

As it turns out, I am currently doing some research on this subject as part of a project I am working on. Fortunately or unfortunately, revelations like this continue to crawl out of the woodwork like cockroaches.
About the Survey
Labaton Sucharow LLP today announced the results of its survey of 500 financial services professionals across the United States and United Kingdom. The survey is being released in conjunction with the launch of the firm's SEC Whistleblower Eligibility Calculator.
  • Article via Reuters
  • Video via CBS News
  • Securities & Exchange Commission: Whistleblower Program

Isolated Incident or Pervasive Patronizing? (err, Paterno-izing)

Speaking of cockroaches, the video below from Fox News describes how Joe Paterno and other top Penn State officials hushed up child sex abuse allegations against Jerry Sandusky more than a decade ago for fear of bad publicity, allowing the former assistant football coach to prey on other youngsters, according to a scathing report issued Thursday on the scandal. All of this makes me wonder, is this an isolated incident or yet another example of the pervasive patronizing that permeates our populace? You make the call, sports fans...
Every director of a public company should read six pages (97-102) of the former FBI Director Louis Freeh’s report on the Penn State sexual abuse scandal. Those pages contain his findings about his own client: the Board of Trustees of Penn State.

Source: WSJ Deal Journal

Are we predictably irrational?

Lest we focus too much on sensational headlines (you really can't make this stuff up) I want to introduce you to the work of a behavioral economist that just makes a lot of sense to me. In the video below, Dan Ariely (visiting professor @MIT and aspiring comedian) talks about the "bugs" in our moral code (i.e., the hidden reasons we think it's OK to cheat and steal). He uses clever studies to make his point that we are predictably irrational and can be influenced in ways we cannot grasp. According to Ariely, the most difficult thing for most of us is to recognize that, sometimes, we are so blinded by our own incentives that we cannot see how our conflicts of interest work on us...
Dan Ariely talks about our "buggy" moral code...
Video Source: TED

EXPLORE FURTHER
  • Press release about Wall Street survey in lead story above
  • Wall Street Journal Blog story on Penn State announcement
  • FBI Director Louis Freeh’s report on Penn State sexual abuse scandal 
  • Dan Ariely's Blog & Website
  • Feeding the Donkeys, Dan Ariely's podcast
0 Comments

Road Trip: 50 years of blowing other cars' doors off...

7/10/2012

0 Comments

 
Its most famous car may be worth $25 million, and its cars can top 200 miles an hour...

Welcome to Shelby American, a company whose rare cars are built to blow by just about any competition, yet are designed to be everyday drivable if that's what an owner wants.

As part of Road Trip 2012, I've stopped in on the company the late Carroll Shelby founded in 1962 -- making this the 50th anniversary of the Cobra and the manufacturer that bears his name.

These days, Shelby is probably best known for the high-end modifications is does to make Ford Mustangs be truly all they can be. For example, the Shelby 1000, which is made entirely by hand in very limited numbers, starts with a 2012 Shelby GT 500 Super Snake -- already a more powerful car than most -- and takes it over the top. The result costs a minimum of $150,000 (not including the base vehicle) and generates more than 1,000 horsepower and a top speed in excess of 200 miles an hour.

SOURCE: CNET.com
0 Comments

The Rhythm of Brasil Beckons...

7/1/2012

0 Comments

 
In case you missed it, the Official Slogan of the 2014 FIFA World Cup™, which takes place in Brasil 12June - 13July 2014, is ALL IN ONE RHYTHM™

According to FIFA, the slogan will influence the development of themes for events such as the FIFA Fan Fest and the opening and closing ceremonies, briefings of event staff and volunteers and FIFA, LOC, Host City and Government campaigns. 

Having had the pleasure of visiting  Rio de Janeiro in my early 20's, I can honestly say that, if you don't know Brasil (or the rest of Latin America for that matter) you owe it to yourself to visit this amazing continent soon. The land and its people are truly extraordinary.

Resources

  • Brasil Government
  • Visit Brasil website
  • Visit Brasil YouTube Channel
  • FIFA World Cup
  • Latin America Business News
  • National Geographic: South America

0 Comments

    RAMBLE ON

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    RAMBLE ON, the name of my SLOG was inspired by the Led Zeppelin song with the same name. It also describes the content, which reflects my very random observations about life, work and my endless pursuit of the sublime. See tag list below...

    Archives

    November 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012

    Tags

    All
    3rd Alternative
    Aaron Hernandez
    Abuelito
    Advisors Fees
    Andrew Zolli
    Angela Maiers
    Anniversary
    Aspen Institute
    Asset Based Fees
    Asset Class
    A To B Syndrome
    Attitude
    Authenticity
    Best Band Ever
    Blackberry
    Blown Away Guy
    Book Reviews
    Books
    Bookstore
    Brain
    Brene Brown
    Brother David Steindl-Rast
    Business Optimization
    Cavemen
    Charts
    Child Development
    Clay Christensen
    Client Advocacy
    Client Experience
    Cliff
    Clouds
    Coaching
    Coffee Is For Closers
    Communication
    Competition
    Consulting
    Content Marketing
    Copernicus Radio
    Coral Gables
    Crying Cow
    Culture Narrative
    Curiosity
    Dan Ariely
    Dan Fogelberg
    Dishonesty
    Education
    Einstein
    Election
    Environment
    Epicurean Friends
    Exit
    Experience
    Extrapolation Bias
    Farm Bill
    Fast Cars
    Fee-based
    Financial Advisor Iq
    Financial Advisors
    Finra
    Fiscal Cliff
    Foresight
    Fusion Impact
    Gambler
    Glengarry Glen Ross
    Google
    Governance
    Gratitude
    Health
    Humor
    Indifference
    Infrastructure
    Innovation
    Inspired Thinking
    Investment Policy
    I Wonder
    Janisse Ray
    Jim Brown
    John Gardner
    Joni Mitchell
    Krista Tippett
    Leadership
    Led Zeppelin
    Let It Shine
    Listening
    Loyalty
    Marketing
    Market Timing
    Mark Kelly
    Maxell
    Merrill Lynch
    Miami
    Michelangelo
    Monkberry Moon Delight
    Nasa
    National Nutrition Month
    New York
    Nobel Prize
    Nutrition
    Obama
    On Being
    Philosophy
    Pieta
    Politicians
    Practice Management
    Pricing Anomolies
    Productivity
    Ram
    Ramble On
    Reich
    Resilience Thinking
    Rim
    Romney
    Schwartzberg
    Sculptors
    Self-renewal
    Slog
    Social Media
    Space
    Sports
    Stephen Covey
    Storytelling
    Strategy
    Sustainability
    Talking White Paper
    Teachers
    Team Building
    Technology
    Ted
    Templeton
    Think Outside Box
    Time In Vs Timing
    Travel
    Truth
    Unconventional Wisdom
    Video
    Voice
    Vulnerability
    Wealth Management
    What Is A Slog?
    Win-win
    You Matter


    My "Fiscal Cliff" Playlist

    Sonos Wireless Music Player

    1 FREE Audiobook RISK-FREE from Audible


    Picture
    "When you realize how little you know, you have become a philosopher."
    ~ Socrates ~


    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
Picture
Articles & Papers | Talking White Papers | Conceptual Models | Radio Interviews | Slides & Training
  • Home
  • About
  • Articles
  • Interviews
  • Models
  • Slides
  • Blog